Celebrate and reflect

Today is an important day to me. It's International Women's Day.

I like to take today to celebrate by uplifting other women, praising other women, educating myself about other women, spend time with other women, and basically anything that I find to be empowering.

But it's also an important day to reflect. There are times that standing up for myself and what I believe in gets really exhausting, and I'm wondering why I even bother. Things would be easier if I just gave up and went with the flow. But something always happens that reminds me that I can't and I won't do that. This year it was IWD being right around the corner. Seeing other women band together for this day and look back on what women, all women, have been through.

And more so, what so many are still going through. It's easy to get wrapped up in your privilege and forget about the struggles happening to other women right now. Both here and all over the world. Many women are still fighting for basic rights. Here in the US, we still don't have equal pay. There is still sex slavery all over the world, in addition to other forms of slavery. And almost everywhere we fight rampant sexism and racism. The obvious kind and the kind that some people refuse to see because it's too ingrained in what they've been taught. I believe the two are very intertwined and you can't be aware and fighting for feminism unless you acknowledge racism that exists even within feminism.

Today is a celebration for all we have accomplished but its also a reminder that we have so much more worth fighting for, and we're not giving up.

Do not forget what you are worth. Do not base your value on society's opinion of you, or any male's opinion of you for that matter. Do not put other women down in an attempt to empower yourself, lift each other up instead. Do not let anyone tell you how a 'lady' behaves. Do not forget the women all over the world of all cultures, races, and sexuality. Do not give up. Do not give up.

I hope you spend your time today helping out a woman in need, or spreading positivity between women, or dedicating your time or money to women's shelters. I hope you remember the strength of a woman today and never forget it.